Hearing protection in the field?

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SunnySlopes

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I double up (plugs and muffs) on the range, but in the field it's impractical if I actually want to hear anything.

I've tried using ear plugs with Howard Leight electronic muffs turned to full volume, but it's not much better.

Saturday I went pig hunting and wore my Leight electronic muffs, but I have an ever present problem with the cheek weld. Because of the muffs, I can't get a clear sight picture in the scope.

I've concluded that when I shoot a long gun, I'm going to have to eschew muffs and use plugs, alone. This will be true for the range and the field.

I bought some Walker ear buds, but after experimentation it seems to be a mighty cumbersome setup. Plus, after charging them on Friday night, when I turned them on Sunday PM, the indicator light was already flashing that the charge was down. I had not used them at all.

Maybe some ear buds that use a replaceable battery?

What do you use in the field?
 
I wear Peltor electronic muffs; did so quail hunting with no issues - but then I wear them for everything. (Metallic I double up with plugs like you). I can hear better with them than I can without.
 
I wear Peltor electronic muffs; did so quail hunting with no issues - but then I wear them for everything. (Metallic I double up with plugs like you). I can hear better with them than I can without.

They don't bother you when shooting a long gun? Clacking against the stock? Interfering with cheek weld?
 
I used to wear nothing. However for the last 25 years I use a pair of ear-plugs connected with a plastic "string". I put the left one in solidly but leave the right one in loosely. That way I can hear a bit but my left ear is shielded from the worst of the blast. In winter I'm usually wearing a hat with earmuffs so that helps with the right ear. Much of the game I take is at 100+ yards and hearing is a lesser sense, it's mostly visual for me. Summertime it's mostly varmints and that's a 200+ yard thing, again all visual. Plugs don't bother my cheek weld at all. I've considered electronic muffs for hunting and may do that one day.

I don't want the Cicadas thing and hopefully this trade-off will prevent it.
 
I also cannot wear muffs with a long gun like my 12 ga. At the indoor range I emulate OP and wear Howard Leight electronic muffs over -31 dB foam plugs. And similarly even with the muffs turned all the way up, those -31 dB plugs make it hard to hear anything. But it is the best I can do for protection.

For shooting long guns in a social situation I think I will have to invest in electronic plugs. Best case would be a model with rechargeable batteries that could take non-rechargeable replacements in a pinch. Time to start my search, but I foresee hearing aids coming in the near future. I’m not sure how to deal with both those issues.
 
Peltors on the range, nothing hunting. Most of my rifle hunting is done with suppressors nowadays. Dove hunting with typical birdshot loads doesn't really bother me.
 
The new brake on my 450 BM is a bit louder than like on unprotected ears so I have been hunting since the second day of the season (after shooting a trash panda and tactical opossum the first day with unprotected ears) with my Peltor Tactical Sport Earmuffs that I typical wear at pistol matches and when at the range. Turn the volume all the way up and I like the slight sound amplification but there are some draw backs. I loose some of my directionallity that I would have with bare ears. Some sounds get amplified more than others. A bird chirping 20 yards away sound like he is sitting on your shoulder. I also get false sounds like the collar of my hunting coat rubbing the muffs creating a false sound.
 
I use walkers and turn them up because I don’t take my hearing aids hunting.

I also use suppressed firearms as much as possible. As I don’t require as much protection with them. Some of my firearms require custom plugs and a good set of muffs, they are so loud. A suppressor helps out a lot.
 
They don't bother you when shooting a long gun? Clacking against the stock? Interfering with cheek weld?
Not at all, and I shoot a LOT of shotgun. Once the hearing is gone, it is GONE; and mine is about halfway thanks to beer, college and Jimi Hendrix at volume 9 with headphones on.

I have used these:
opplanet-peltor-protac-electronic-headset-collapsable-folding-headband-mt15h7f-sv.jpg

and now wear these:

41K4Olddp2L.jpg
by Howard Leight (Impact Pro). Even as thick as both sets are, they have never interfered with my shooting shotguns or rifles
 
I use walkers and turn them up because I don’t take my hearing aids hunting.

I also use suppressed firearms as much as possible. As I don’t require as much protection with them. Some of my firearms require custom plugs and a good set of muffs, they are so loud. A suppressor helps out a lot.
All the more reason to approach Congress about getting suppressors OFF the NFA list. They are sold OTC in just a bout every other country because they help protect hearing
 
Not at all, and I shoot a LOT of shotgun. Once the hearing is gone, it is GONE; and mine is about halfway thanks to beer, college and Jimi Hendrix at volume 9 with headphones on.

I have used these:
View attachment 814472

and now wear these:

View attachment 814473
by Howard Leight (Impact Pro). Even as thick as both sets are, they have never interfered with my shooting shotguns or rifles
Must have a lot to do with the length of the face and distance from the ears to the cheek bone.
 
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What about for kids hunting? I've got some kid's Peltor muffs and a bulk pack of those Howard Leight foam plugs for use on the range, but not sure what they would wear for hunting. I'm mostly concerned for deer hunting outside a blind at the moment, but I can imagine in a blind might have different options, and also bird hunting with many more frequent shots might be different.

For myself, I usually double-up with the foam plugs and Peltor muffs on the range, but if I were hunting with what I have on hand, I'd probably pick my Etymotic ear plugs. They're corded and they stick right in without having to roll them up like the foam plugs. The NRR isn't real high, but I think they'd be fine for deer hunting.
 
I've never used anything for big game hunting but might give the noise canceling plugs a shot that just kick in for loud sounds. Large centerfire rifles are really loud and it probably makes sense to use something. In the past I haven't used anything because sound can be an important sense in the woods. I'm always good about ear plugs for other kinds of shooting.
 
After a bad experience with a T/C Contender in .35 Remington with a break, I started wearing Peltor Tac-7s any time I hunt with a hand gun. I sometimes wear them while hunting with a long gun. If not wearing the Peltors, I have a set of foam plugs slung around my neck that I'll insert if I see game moving at distance that might present a shot.

I really like the Tac-7s. They have stereo microphones so I still have directional hearing. I try to set them so ambient sounds are natural rather than amplified. And they keep my ears warm ...
 
I have been using a pair of these for the past year and have been very happy with them:
https://www.amazon.com/Walkers-Game-Alpha-Power-Muffs/dp/B003DWPAQ6

They have a lower profile and a beveled bottom edge that makes them work out ok with a rifle for me. Occasionally I will bump them with the stock but I can still get a good cheek weld without knocking them out of place, and its much better than having ringing ears.

The wind does mess with them a little bit but not nearly as much as I expected. Sharp sounds like twigs snapping do get picked up more, so when you're walking in the woods you sometimes feel like an elephant trying to sneak around, but you get used to it. I can routinely pick up noises like a rabbit running behind me and turn around to see it , and its easy to carry on a conversation as long as the wind isn't too strong.

My only complaint is the batteries fall out easily when you aren't wearing them.

Edited to add. I would not use these for range use, without plugs under them. They are comfortable for a handful of shots, but handguns still feel pretty loud with just the walkers on.
 
Only gun I don't leave the muffs home with is the .30-30 12: compensated Contender pistol. That thing will hurt ya!

I've mostly bird hunted in my life with only a few dozen shots fired at deer with rifles and 8 or so with pistols. I've shot a LOT of ducks, doves, and geese, though. I've acquired a touch of tendinitis recently. Checked out this medicine they market for that, 28 bucks a bottle and the druggist says it takes about a bottle for it to start working. Well, it ain't that bad, yet. :D I have no hearing loss at age 66, but then I always wore my hearing protection on the range and in the plant at work. I think the fact that I can still hear well is probably a result of my hearing protection use. There were times I should have worn it and didn't think to, like on race bikes, on the lawn mower (still don't), using the chainsaw, and such.
 
Only gun I don't leave the muffs home with is the .30-30 12: compensated Contender pistol. That thing will hurt ya!

I've mostly bird hunted in my life with only a few dozen shots fired at deer with rifles and 8 or so with pistols. I've shot a LOT of ducks, doves, and geese, though. I've acquired a touch of tendinitis recently. Checked out this medicine they market for that, 28 bucks a bottle and the druggist says it takes about a bottle for it to start working. Well, it ain't that bad, yet. :D I have no hearing loss at age 66, but then I always wore my hearing protection on the range and in the plant at work. I think the fact that I can still hear well is probably a result of my hearing protection use. There were times I should have worn it and didn't think to, like on race bikes, on the lawn mower (still don't), using the chainsaw, and such.

If you can sit on a lawnmower or use a chainsaw and think you don't need ear plugs you've probably got compromised hearing. I'm 40 and my hearing isn't perfect, but it actually hurts if I forget my hearing protection when I fire up my rider mower or Stihl.
 
I use the leight impact sports, have 2 more pairs for the boys. One wears them, one does not. With my head shape and straight pull stocks I get good weld w/o breaking the muff to ear seal. Have a larger pair of leights for handgun hunting, those do not work well for birds or rifles.
 
If you can sit on a lawnmower or use a chainsaw and think you don't need ear plugs you've probably got compromised hearing. I'm 40 and my hearing isn't perfect, but it actually hurts if I forget my hearing protection when I fire up my rider mower or Stihl.
Valid points. According to the interwebs info, the chain saw produces 110dB which can damage hearing after 30 minutes, and the lawn mower produces 90dB which can damage hearing after 8 hours. According to the web. I use Leight Lite plugs whenever I do either for any length of time.
 
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